Search All 1 Records in Our Collections

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The Museum’s Collections document the fate of Holocaust victims, survivors, rescuers, liberators, and others through artifacts, documents, photos, films, books, personal stories, and more. Search below to view digital records and find material that you can access at our library and at the Shapell Center.

Juliette Aladjem, born in Ruse, Bulgaria and age 82 at the time of the interview, discusses her husband’s toy store in Ruse during the anti-Jewish laws; the threat of being deported to Poland; and the local traditions and customs in Russe.

Marko Aroyo, born in Burgas, Bulgaria and age 82 at the time of the interview, discusses his childhood in Burgas; the Bulgarian Jews that came in the 1930s; the Kfar Hitim settlement; the common moshav idea of community; the holidays and traditions of Bulgaria; living there in the 1930s-1950s; and conflict with Arab neighbors.

David Eskin, born in Sofia, Bulgaria and age 75 at the time of the interview, discusses growing up in the poor Jewish neighborhood in Sofia; his grandparents going to Israel in the 1920s; his work in Maccabi; staying in Israel after the Maccabia games of 1932; being drafted into the forced labor camps on a business trip home; building roads for three years; escaping in 1943 and living in Sofia illegally; joining a Bulgarian army band after the Russians liberated Bulgaria on September 9, 1944; being a part of The Optimists band; and establishing his life in Israel and New York City after 1948.

Chaim Asher, born in Ruse, Bulgaria and age 83 at the time of the interview, discusses the Jewish school in Plovdiv, Bulgaria; the local Zionist movement; the Balfour Declaration 1917; immigrating to Israel in 1935; working in trade with Bulgaria and Israel; the Bulgarian Israeli community; work within the Union of Bulgarian Immigrants; and his research on Bulgarian Jews.

Israel Ben-Nun, 73 at time of interview and born in Russe, Bulgaria, discusses his childhood; attending a Jewish school; his father’s leading role in the Jewish community; immigrating to Israel via the Maccabia games in 1935; the Zionist movement in Bulgaria; and helping to found the Bulgarian Trade Bank to help new immigrants create businesses.

Yoram Aharoni, born in Pazardjik, Bulgaria and age 65 at the time of the interview, discusses being part of a Zionist youth movement and attending a Jewish day school in Bulgaria; antisemitism in the Bulgarian paramilitary; his illegal immigration to Israel; working on the ship to get to Israel; being caught by the British and placed into internment camps in Atlit; joining the Jewish underground movement Fighters for the Freedom of Israel; opening a store in Jaffa; and the local Bulgarian immigrant population.

Rephael Ben Arroya (Aroya), born in Hartouv, Israel and age 76 at the time of the interview, discusses being a third generation descendant of Bulgarian Jews that settled in Israel in 1894; the Ladino culture and language; surviving during Turkish rule and WWI; his relationship with Bulgarians in Europe; and the Judea hills near Jerusalem being abandoned because of poor agricultural conditions.

Nir Baruch, born in Kyustendil, Bulgaria and age 68 at the time of the interview, discusses his work as an Israeli diplomat in Bulgaria from 1951-1957; his research on the Bulgarian Jews; the testimony of others he has interviewed; historical and political events, documents, diplomats, intelligence services, and resources; and his book “Hakofer” about the Bulgarian Jews.

Mordechai Arbel, born in Sofia, Bulgaria and age 60 at the time of the interview, discusses his childhood in Sofia; customs and everyday life in Bulgaria before the war; the slow increase in Germans in the area; how his school life was free from antisemitism; antisemitism from American teachers and administrators in the school (The American School of Sofia); his father helping Jews to immigrate to Israel; the Germans entering formally on March 1, 1941; the emigration visas issued by the British in Palestine; immigrating by train to Palestine via Turkey; the economic life in Bulgaria; Sephardic traditional life; his employment after entering Israel as a diplomat, businessmen, ambassador, manager, and historical researcher; and his overall feelings about Bulgaria and his experiences there.

Zizi Avtalyon, born in Sofia, Bulgaria and age 65 at the time of the interview, discusses her religious father; the customs of Bulgaria; living in exile due to anti-Jewish laws; being a teenager at the American School in Sofia; the lack of antisemitism in her life; and wearing her yellow Star of David during the war.

Miriam Steiner-Aviezer, age fifty at interview and born in Slovenia, Yugoslavia, discusses her work at the Yad VaShem Hall of Memorial Stone; her feelings about finding vital information about Jews who were killed; and her feeling that the work at Yad VaShem is holy work.

Rabbi Avraham Bechar, born in Odrine, Bulgaria (now Edirne, Turkey) and age 76 at the time of the interview, discusses being raised as an orphan; serving as a rabbi in Bulgaria; saving lives in the flood of Danube in 1942; drafting priests to help rebuild Bulgaria; Bulgarian Jewish customs and culture; his work as the rabbi of Jaffa; the growing secular Bulgarian Jewish community; and the accomplishments of the Bulgarian community in Israel.

Learn about over 1,000 camps and ghettos in Volume I and II of this encyclopedia, which are available as a free PDF download. This reference provides text, photographs, charts, maps, and extensive indexes.